Haywood Christian Ministry Announces Exciting Expansion of their Anti-Hunger Initiatives in WNC
Waynesville, NC
Haywood Christian Ministry has long been a presence of compassionate care in Haywood and surrounding counties. Founded in 1970, hunger and food insecurity have long been focal points of HCM’s work in the community.
“We established our first ever food pantry in 1975 out of a commitment that no one in our communities should go hungry. That work has grown and evolved over the years and now HCM is the largest food pantry in all of MANNA FoodBank’s 16 county region,” shares Blake Hart, HCM’s Executive Director. Annually, HCM reports the processing and distribution of over 1.3 million pounds, serving over 2,500 households in Haywood county.
In spite of this effort and that of many partner organizations operating in Haywood County, hunger still persists in our communities. To meet this need HCM has developed new programs and initiatives to expand their reach to make more food available to more people in the county. “Hunger and food insecurity are complex problems that are caused by many factors. We want to begin chipping away at these problems with intentionality, so that one day no one goes hungry,” said Hart.
For the weeks of January 20-31, HCM’s food infrastructure is moving to a new facility in Bethel, NC. During this time, people in need of food can still visit HCM’s office at 124 Branner Avenue in Waynesville to receive a box of shelf-stable food items. Then, in February, HCM’s new food initiatives will begin.
HCM’s new food plan aims to ensure equitable food distribution across the county, not just in the population centers. Through partnership with other food pantries, through their own pop-up markets that will take place regularly at their original pantry facility and around the county, and through a food ordering and locker delivery system that should be available in the spring, HCM hopes to make food available to everyone who needs it at times and places that are convenient to them.
“Whether or not you go hungry should not be dependent on where you live, your access to transportation, or the hours you are available to visit a pantry on the other side of a mountain,” says Hart. “We envision the ability for people to request, access, and consume good food in ways and methods that are convenient, dignified, and effective.”
Simultaneously, HCM is also beginning to work to solve issues not only of individual hunger but of the security of the entire food system in Haywood and surrounding counties. “If the floods from Hurricane Helene showed us anything, it was how utterly dependent we are on outside sources for our food. We need a robust local food ecosystem that is resilient, sustainable, and provides equitable access to food for all our communities.”
HCM is launching the Smoky Mountain Harvest Hub, a food hub that purchases and aggregates locally produced food for distribution into the community. Some food will be sold, some will be given away, and everyone will have access to it. Plans are also in the works for a commercial kitchen space that will be available to local farmers, food entrepreneurs, and agencies to process food for sale or distribution. The goal being a strong and sustainable food system that feeds all of our neighbors and can respond quickly and effectively to future natural disasters.
“Together, we can ensure that no one goes hungry, that our local farmers and food producers are adequately supported, and that everyone has access to good food,” says Hart.
Haywood Christian Ministry is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. You can learn more at www.hcmnc.org.
